Media Release by The Hon Jane Prentice MP

NDIS roll outs across Fraser Coast, North Burnett, South Burnett and Cherbourg

Queenslanders living in the Fraser Coast, North Burnett, South Burnett and Cherbourg region will join more than 160,000 Australians already participating in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) from 1 July 2018.

Assistant Minister for Disability Services, Jane Prentice said the roll out of the NDIS across a number of Queensland regions, including the Fraser Coast, North Burnett, South Burnett and Cherbourg, was an important milestone for people with disability, their families, carers and the broader local community.

“I am pleased to announce the continued rollout of the NDIS in Queensland and I welcome people who are existing state clients and other eligible residents into the Scheme,” Mrs Prentice said.

“The NDIS is one of the largest social policy reforms in Australia’s history and is already empowering more than 15,000 Queenslanders with disability.”

According to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Market Position Statement for Queensland, the number of people receiving disability support in the Fraser Coast, North Burnett, South Burnett and Cherbourg regions is forecast to grow from 2200 to 5100 by 2020.

“The NDIS will also create more than 1200 jobs locally and generate local investment which will ensure people with disability have the assistance they need to help them achieve their goals and participate in their local communities,” Mrs Prentice said.

“Over the coming years, an additional $190 million will be injected into the local Fraser Coast, North Burnett, South Burnett and Cherbourg economies as a result of the NDIS rolling out across Queensland.”

The NDIA is working with Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) and Local Area Coordination (LAC) partners to deliver the NDIS in local communities across Australia. ECEI and LAC partners help participants navigate the NDIS and connect them with other community services, where appropriate.

LAC services will be delivered by APM in the Fraser Coast, North Burnett, South Burnett and Cherbourg regions, while ECEI services will be delivered by BUSHkids.

Once fully implemented in 2020, the NDIS is expected to support about 91,000 people with disability in Queensland and about 460,000 people nationally. The NDIS is expected to boost the Queensland economy by $2.5 billion and bring up to 35,950 new jobs in disability services to Queensland.